Commonwealth Games: Silver Ferns looking to hit top gear

After working their way up the gears, the Silver Ferns are looking to hit fifth tomorrow when the Commonwealth Games netball final in New Delhi becomes yet another trans-Tasman showdown.

Skipper Casey Williams believes the New Zealander have built a solid foundation over the past 10 days from which to launch their final assault on a second successive Games title against world champions Australia.

"I think we've set a good benchmark from the first game and the bunch of girls we have are always wanting to do better than last time," she said.

"We're winning our games and we're in the final, which is our aim. We just need to get into fifth gear, do the job and do it well."

Both the Silver Ferns and the Diamonds have had relatively comfortable passages to the final, hitting only the occasional speed bump.

The New Zealanders were given a tough fight in their pool match against England before kicking away in the final quarter, while Australia had to come from behind to beat the same opponents in their semifinal.

Williams said the Silver Ferns' own 59-43 semifinal win over Jamaica yesterday had put them in a good spot.

"We've been working so hard and all the preparation is done," she said.

"Pretty much for us it's going out there and executing our gameplan at 110 percent."

The usual video analysis on the Norma Plummer-coached opposition had been conducted and the New Zealand players had also watched a couple of the Diamonds' matches from courtside.

But they were also on guard against anything different that the Australians might throw at them.

"You never know what Norma is going to do," Williams said.

"But we've got plan A, B, C and D and we'll be prepared for anything, really."

Since netball became a Commonwealth sport in 1998, Australia and New Zealand have contested every gold medal match.

The Diamonds came out trumps in Kuala Lumpur and Manchester, but the Silver Ferns finally got their revenge four years ago at Melbourne.

Williams is one of seven New Zealand survivors of that gold medal effort, achieved with a 60-55 victory in the final.

Also in Melbourne were shooters Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia, midcourters Temepara George and Laura Langman, and defenders Anna Scarlett and Leanna de Bruin.

Van Dyk and fellow shooter Daneka Wipiiti also have silvers from the 2002 Manchester Games.

Five of the Australian squad are back after Melbourne - shooters Sharelle McMahon, Catherine Cox and Susan Pratley, midcourter Natalie van Bertouch and defender Susan Fuhrmann.

While there have been many trans-Tasman clashes at the New Delhi Games, perhaps none quite has the rivalry as this one.

It will also pit the countries' two flagbearers from the opening ceremony - van Dyk and McMahon - against one another.

Williams said it didn't really matter who the opponents were, as long the Silver Ferns were the other team in the final.

"But I guess we know that victory is all the more sweet when you've competed against the best."